Community Continence Clinics

• The Community Continence Team
• What happens at a continence clinic appointment
• Referrals
• Useful websites

The Community Continence Team

The Community Continence Team support children under 16 from Sheffield with any of the following:

• bedwetting from age six if there has been no response to professional advice regarding increasing drinks and toileting for three months
• day-time wetting from age four if advice has been given for three months regarding increasing drinks and regular toileting and their GP has excluded constipation and urinary tract infections
• constipation when not responding to treatment by their GP for three months
• soiling when not responding to treatment by their GP for three months
• toilet training problems from age five, including children with special needs, after adequate input and supervision from their GP, health visitor, special needs or MAST support workers

We hold clinics at Centenary House and the Northern General Hospital where we assess children thoroughly and arrange necessary investigations.

The community continence team has a number of doctors, specialist continence nurses and support workers along with the input from a clinical psychologist.

What happens at a continence clinic appointment

You and your child will have the opportunity to talk about the problem and how it affects you both. You may be asked to complete charts prior to your appointment to help assess your child’s problems.

A full assessment will be carried out and sometimes a physical examination is necessary. A urine sample may also be needed and other investigations may be arranged.

During the appointment you will be given information about your child’s condition and will be involved in deciding the best course of action to help your child. This could include general advice, advice about drinks and diet, medication or alarm therapy (for bedwetting).

Children and parents are often asked to fill in charts to record success and progress.

Referrals

GPs, Health visitors, school nurses and specialist doctors/nurses can refer to our service.

Useful websites

• BBUK – national charity for children with continence problems
• NHSGGC – toilet training guidance
• ERIC – national charity for children with continence problems
• NICE Guidelines – management of bedwetting in children and young people
• NICE Guidelines – constipation in children and young people
• One Step at a Time – a parent’s guide to toilet skills for children with special needs
• PromoCon – product information, advice and practical solutions for continence problems
• The poo nurses – Childhood constipation service